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Jesus said, "I am the Vine,
you are the branches.
He who abides in Me,
and I in him,
bears much fruit;
for apart from Me,
you can do nothing."
(John 15:5)
I recently had another special opportunity to share with a man the contrast between the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life (Genesis 2:9). The truths pictured by these two trees in the Garden of Eden are revealing to my friend his true identity and his true life source as a Christian. As a result, he is now surrendering his self-efforts and is growing in experiencing Christ freeing him from a lifelong stronghold!
FLESH versus CHRIST
Everyone is identified as a branch of one of these two trees. Those who are not related to Christ are branches in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I refer to this tree as the Tree of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong. This tree is a picture of the flesh, i.e., man's efforts to know what is right and to do it and man's efforts to know what is wrong and not to do it.
All of these efforts are futile, sinful efforts. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil looks like the Tree of Life on the outside, but it is actually only a counterfeit and imitation of true life. There is only death in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam found this out and passed it on to us.
Those who are related to Christ are branches in the Tree of Life. This tree is a picture of Christ Himself! Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is THE Life, meaning He is the only source of true life.
DEATH versus LIFE
Salvation is all about passing from death (totally separated from God) and into life (totally united with God)! Through the cross of Christ, a person is cut as a branch from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Through the burial of Christ, that old branch is buried forever. Through the resurrection of Christ, one is raised by God to be a new branch grafted into the Tree of Life!
So, each Christian is vitally united with Christ. His or her identity is one with Christ...a branch of Christ. And his or her life source is Christ Himself! Christ is the "sap" that rises, providing life in and through each branch. That's you and me!
Whereas the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil produces fruit of good efforts with no life, the Tree of Life produces fruit of Christ full of true life (fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23-23)!
DOING RIGHT versus BEING LOVING
A Christian who believes he or she is still somehow partially connected to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Right and Wrong) is prone to fall for the tempation to try doing the most right things. This sounds...well...so right, doesn't it?
However, God moves us to focus on doing the most loving thing based on being totally connected to the Tree of Life! The most loving thing to do is to trust God, as the Source of true love, to produce the fruit of His love through our unique personalities.
The most loving thing will always be the most right thing. The most right thing will never be the most loving thing. This is because there is no life in doing right as if a Christian was still somehow connected to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. There is no life in that tree even when it appears to be or feels right.
SUMMARY
Through the Tree of Life, God foreshadows the glory of the two integral aspects of the gospel.
The truth of you in Christ (as a branch in a Tree) means that you have an identity that is of the nature of Jesus Christ!
Christ in you (as sap in a branch) means that because of your new Christ-nature, Christ is naturally (and supernaturally) living in and through you by the Holy Spirit.
CLOSING
May this Rest Stop encourage us to rest from any self-efforts we might be experiencing and to re-affirm that Jesus through His cross and resurrection has totally and forever connected us to Him! "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him" (Colossians 2:6-7).
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